Tech Guide 2014

We know how important gear is to men. You spend serious cash on tech, and you want the absolute best return on that investment. So we spent months figuring out what will be the coolest, highest-quality new gear for 2014. Here are some of our favorite products—and check out the December issue for even more!

Whether you're riding for fitness or fun or even sprinting to work, this bike's lightweight carbon construction, vibration-damping frame, and grippy hydraulic brakes will smooth the way and make that ride a breeze. Even your mitts will love the gel grips, which conform to your hands to prevent numbness and tingling.

We weren't expecting to revolutionize hammering this month—until we saw this. It has the largest striking surface of any hammer around, helping you make contact more consistently. Its smooth face minimizes dings to your work, and a magnetic tip keeps nails in place for that first strike.

In tennis, spin control is everything. Wilson's 98S, the latest addition to the brand's Blade series, uses "spin effect technology" to add more than 200 rpm to your shot without a single change to your swing. The racket is an ideal size for any hard hitter, and the cushioned handle is embedded with Amplifeel for a more comfortable grip.

If the resurgence of vinyl surprised you, the second act of open-reel tape will knock you flat. The Phase 8PB deck is a completely refurbished Tascam machine with new audiophile playback circuitry that truly captures the magic of music—it's that good. Find used tapes on eBay and new transfers at tapeproject.com.

Left: Sharp Aquos 4K Ultra HD TVThis 70-inch beauty has four times the pixel resolution of a regular HD set--hence the 4K. Though 4K content isn't widely available yet, the TV's upscaler will ensure that what you do watch still makes the investment worthwhile. In fact, it's the first U.S. TV to earn THX 4K image-quality certification. Front speakers provide superb audio.$7,500, sharpusa.com

Center: iPhone 5SUnlock your phone at the touch of a button: The 5s's built-in sensor recognizes your fingerprint, thanks to a secure encryption method that works brilliantly. Its new processor, colors, and camera rock too. $199 and up, apple.com

The new autofocus technology on Canon's whipsmart 70D (dubbed Dual Pixel CMOS AF) allows for speedy, precise focusing and smooth tracking when shooting video. The LCD display is touch enabled—tap to focus and shoot—and with onboard Wi-Fi, you can operate the camera remotely via an app and upload photos instantly.

The active Polartec insulation that lines the core body area of this jacket keeps you covered and comfortable in tough backcountry conditions. When free movement is key, the Power Stretch fabric provides flexibility in the arms, helping to keep the bottom from riding up. In other words, this jacket moves with you instead of cramping your style.

It might be a stretch to call this "camping"—it has more of a luxury-liner vibe—but that's okay with us. The sophisticated interior comes courtesy of Italian RV outfitter Tecnoform S.p.A., and the rock-solid construction incorporates cool tech, like powered bed lifts and table lifts, and ducted AC.

Nowadays you don't need to choose between packing light and staying warm. Even with layers of 800-fill down and soft, fast-drying PrimaLoft Sport insulation, this mummy's weight stays under 2 pounds. A waterproof hood, foot box, and side panels, along with a water-repellent ripstop lining, provide plenty of extra protection from the elements.

Experienced climbers favor backpacks with functional simplicity. The Sorcerer embraces that ideal while adding strength and shedding weight. It's expandable, morphing from 40 to 55 liters for a multiday expedition, with a hood to keep your gear dry. Plus, it features a new side zipper for better access to your gear.

Plug in KEF's powered speakers via hassle-free USB or AUX input for exceptional sound from nearly any device. The system's sophisticated tech includes built-in digital-to-analog converters to limit interference and speaker hum. Set them on your desk and they'll project richly detailed tunes the second you hit "play."

This smart HUD projects navigation from your smartphone to a transparent film on your wind-shield, so you never need to look anywhere but forward. It tells you which lane to be in for your turns and alerts you to red-light cameras and traffic.

Who says gardeners are Luddites? This wireless plant monitor checks light, humidity, temperature, soil pH, and fertilizer levels in your garden (or your office ficus) and sends the info to your smartphone or tablet. It then cross-references data with a plant library to help you maintain your garden.

As guys meld fitness and lifestyle—climbing, hiking, heaving boulders around the wilderness—gym gear just doesn't cut it anymore. These shirts and shorts feature stitch-free seams to maximize comfort, and the abrasion-resistant fabric easily emerges unscathed from the occasional scrape or stumble.

Sweatproof and durable, these in-ear sport buds have Kevlar cords wrapped in rubberized, water-resistant coatings. The buds' shape guarantees that they'll stay comfortably in place and avoid those sensitive areas of the ear. A magnetic backing lets you clip them behind your neck when chatting up your workout partners.

Capture sensational airborne imagery—without crashing into trees. Connect your iPhone to the remote control of this stable, easy-to-fly quadcopter to monitor the view from the onboard camera. Record high-def video or 14-megapixel stills. If you lose your bearings, the GPS guidance system will fly the Phantom right back to your feet.

There's a lot to love about this WI-FI media hub. It can stream high-def content to mobile devices and serve as storage for digital files. But our favorite application is as a transfer tool for photos. Just insert an SD card, open the app on your smartphone, and transfer images to your phone for editing and sharing.

This jacket's breathability and insulated two-layer construction provide the ultimate in cold-weather comfort, and its water-repellent PrimaLoft fill will handle any alpine conditions. H2Flow venting keeps you warm without the bulk, so you can make tight turns and still stay comfortable and dry.

Left: Simplicikey KeycloudSimpliciKey just added the ability to control its deadbolts from anywhere in the world via phone or computer. Its KeyCloud system can tell who's opening the door, and you can program it to lock every night at the same time. That's an extra 30 seconds of sleep for you. Win!$579, simplicikey.com

Top: Microsoft Surface Pro 2This revised tablet from the Redmond crew gives your laptop serious competition. Battery life is as much as 75 percent better than its predecessor's, and it has up to 512GB of flash storage. Plus, it features an improved, crisp 1080p display; optional backlit keyboards; access to the full Office suite; and the ability to run most Windows software.$899 and up, surface.com

Bottom: Goal Zero Yeti 150 Solar GeneratorA solar/battery combo will power your gear in the wild—or when your electric blinks out at home. Connect the Yeti 150 battery to the Goal Nomad 27 solar panel to charge up in about 13 hours. It can power lights for 50 hours or juice up your phone as many as 15 times. (It weighs 12 pounds, so it's for car camping, not backpacking.)$480, goalzero.com

Left: Lenovo Yoga 2 ProLight, bright, and right. The new, slimmer Yoga boasts 3,200×1,800p resolution and a fourth-generation Intel Core processor. It's more lightweight but packs up to 8GB of RAM and 512GB of solid-state storage. A backlit keyboard and up to nine hours of battery life cement this ultrabook's status as a superb upgrade.$1,100 and up, lenovo.com

Right: Samsung Galaxy GearSamsung introduced a truly evolved smart-watch this fall. When connected via Bluetooth to the brand's Galaxy Note 3, it can preview e-mails and texts, screen incoming calls, and snap photos with the Gear's 1.9-megapixel camera, which is mounted discreetly on the band. Voice commands allow you to make a call or draft a message.$299, samsung.com

Top: Alite Designs Treeline TableThe collapsible table weighs just 4.8 pounds but can support 10 times that load. It's adjustable for both height and leveling, and its stable surface means there's no chance of spilled drinks. In fact, one of the company's criteria was that the table be strong enough for beer and poker. We're down with that.$219 (due early 2014), alitedesigns.com

Bottom: Amazon Kindle Fire HDX 7''The new Kindle Fire HDX is sharper, more colorful, and thinner than the last generation, without compromising screen space. Improved horsepower speeds up your load times while still delivering increased battery life—a full 17 hours of reading! Technical difficulties? Just hit the Mayday button for 24-7 live video-chat help.$229, amazon.com

Top: Snow Peak Mola HeadlampSnow Peak's ingenious lamp shines light exactly where you want it. A nifty counterweight system detects your head's up-and-down movements and redirects the beam to your line of sight, or you can lock it in place as necessary. At its brightest, the LED bulb throws out 90 lumens and can illuminate stuff up to 40 feet away.$60, snowpeak.com

Bottom: Sony Hap-Z1ES 1TB Hi-Res HDD Music Player SystemHigh-res audio is the new gold standard for music quality, and this advanced player decodes virtually all formats. Its expandable 1-terabyte hard drive can store your entire library, while the smartphone and tablet app lets you create playlists and choose songs from anywhere in the house. It also copies new files for hassle-free syncing.$2,000, sony.com

Top: Bose Soundlink Mini Bluetooth SpeakerDon't be deceived by the size: This diminutive Bluetooth speaker generates impressive sound. Its new digital signal processing and innovative driver configuration combine to deliver full-range audio no matter what music you're playing. It weighs in at just 1 1/2 pounds and includes a scratch-resistant and smudge-proof anodized aluminum housing.$199, bose.com

Bottom: Eva Solo Gravity PotCook her gumbo in this cool pot from a Danish design firm. Its handles don't get hot, so no pot-holders are needed. The lid latches on and drains condensation right back into the pot instead of all over your stove. Plus, it has measurements inside and a built-in colander for easy straining.From $129, evasolo.com

Bottom: XBox One Game ConsoleThis redesigned console is now an evolved entertainment, gaming, and fitness hub. Its vision, voice, and motion sensor are as useful for selecting content as they are for navigating virtual worlds. The tech is also integrated into the optional Xbox Fitness service, which offers workout videos, analysis of your form, and even remote heart-rate monitoring.$499, xbox.com

The Editors of Men's HealthThe editors of Men's Health are your personal conduit to the top experts in the world on all things important to men: health, fitness, style, sex, and more.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io

This commenting section is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information on their web site.

A Part of Hearst Digital Media
Men's Health participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.